Never Too Late
by His Beautiful Melody
Summary: [ToumaxOC] Rated for strong sexual content and language. After years of feeling for one another, Touma and Arina become what they have always wanted to be, each others. But just because they want each other, doesn't mean things will be easy for them.
1. Viva Forever

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gravitation. I do however, own Arina and Marin. They are my own characters. Also, I do not own Nittle Grasper, or Sleepless Beauty, nor do I own the Spice Girls, or Viva Forever.

**Author Notes:** Let me know if you find typos. I will fix them A.S.A.P. Also, the love scene is written like the whole deed was done in five minutes and ten seconds. Disregard that, because one would hope Touma isn't a minute man.

_III_

"Psst! Arina!" Arina awoke with a start and jolted into a sitting position, coming to a head on collision with her roomate, Marin.

"Gah! Dammit! What do you want?" Arina spat, rubbing the soar spot that had appeared on her forehead.

"Touma's really mad at you. He wants to talk to you right now." Marin explained. "Did you come home late again?"

Arina groaned, trying to replay the previous night's events. All she could remember was being with Shuichi and Hiro at Portal with Axel and the gang, singing to Enrique Iglesias and Axel getting her plastered. Then there was Tatsuha somewhere in there.

'Oh yeah, he drove me back here. What time was that?'

"What time is it, Marin?" The blonde haired girl looked over her shoulder at the digital red numbers and read them off in order. "3:15."

3:15? "A.M. or P.M.?"

"A.M." she replied. "You hit it pretty hard tonight, huh?" Marin caught a mumbled reply about Arina making sure she smashed something large and heavy over Axel's head when she was more awake and that Touma should wait at least ten minutes after arriving home to repremand her before she managed to stumble out of bed and out the blinding white bedroom door. She knocked into the wall in front of her, clinging to it for dear life, and Marin contemplated whether she should help her get to the living room or not, but when she saw Arina shake it off and walk amazingly steady down the rest of the hallway, she decided it was better to leave her at it herself.

Arina blinked and looked at Touma, who was on the far couch by the front window, where he usually sat up and waited for her. He gestured for her to sit down, and she complied more than willingly. Maybe sitting would make the room stop spinning. She took a seat on the nearest couch, which was catacorner to the one Touma sat on, and tossed he head back, resting it on the soft cushion there.

"Do you know what time it is, Arina?" This was typical Touma, neither harsh nor sarcastic in his voice, but true concern, at least when it came to her.

Arina racked her brain for the time Marin had read off to her only minutes ago. Ah, there it was. "3:15, maybe 3:20 with the time it took me to get down the hallway." The least she could do was make the atmosphere lighter. She thought she was going to choke on it, or maybe it was just the alcohol threathening to reappear in a malicious form. Either way, she felt like being funny.

She watched as Touma looked at the clock in the dining room. "Good job. I knew you were still capable of thinking, but forming complete, even humorous sentences, under the influence? I am impressed."

Now he was being sarcastic. She hated when he did that to her, because that meant he was really mad at her. Damn.

"Touma, I'm sorry. I really am. I swear, it was 8:00 one minute and 2:30 the next. I'm telling you, the people that saud time flies wasn't lying." Regardless of the stern look on his face, Arina could see the ammusement in his eyes.

"Be that as it may, you're two hours late, which means . . ." Touma waited for her to finish the sentence.

Arina yawned. ". . . which means I can't go out the next night."

"Bingo." He said. Arina sighed. She really hated making him mad. Touma wasn't any fun when he was mad or stressed. She guessed she was like her brother, Ryuichi, in that respect, but not to that extreme.

Arina felt her eyes start to droop, and she snapped up to keep herself awake, in the process cracking her back satisfyingly, but painfully.

"Gah, damn that hurt." She said and attempted to rub the spot that was now soar only to realize she plain out could not reach it. Son of a bitch.

"Let me help you." Touma was magically next to her, motioning with his finger to turn her back to him. Arina shifted around and his hands went to work. His fingers pressed into her skin miraculously undoing all the stress she hadn't realized she had. She sighed contentedly, letting Touma work his talented fingers and slipping into a peaceful state of mind.

She started thinking about her brother. He was still in America, touring the states and selling himself to the world. Part of her wish he had taken her with him, but his manager, K, insisted she stayed here to finish high school. It wasn't fair in her eyes, but she was barely an adult now, who was she to try and convince them otherwise?

In his absence, she opted to stay with Touma and his younger sister, Marin. She had practically grown up there anyway, her parents having died when her and Ryuichi were only three and six. Mrs. Seguchi raised them, along with her own two children of four and seven by herself. They had all grown up to not only be brothers and sisters, but best friends.

For Arina, she had always looked up to Touma, rather than her own brother, even though she loved him dearly. Touma was a straight A student that could still party and get away with it. He was in Nittle Grasper, the most popular talent to ever strike Japan, playing the keyboard and producing, and he was the president of N-G studios. Arina wanted to be just like him, she strode for it, and she was convinced she was going to make it someday.

"Are you asleep, Melody?" Touma's voice broke through her thoughts. She hadn't heard him call her that in a long time, it seemed like years. For as long as she could remember he had called her 'his little melody', because even as a three year old, she could sing, and sing well.

"No, I'm awake." Arina finally replied.

"Ah, then what were you thinking about? You started shaking a few minutes ago." Touma stopped his ministrations and rested his hands on her shoulders. She could feel him breathing on her ear and she had to hold back a shudder.

"I guess I'm just cold." She said, holding herself around her waist. She felt Touma shift, then his hands pulled her back. She sat in his lap, her legs draped over the other side of him, and her head resting on his shoulder. His arms encircled her and pulled her as close to him as possible, and Arina remembered a time that this happened nearly every night, but that was years ago. Still it was nice to relive the feeling of being safe, feeling at home. Feeling this close to him again made her want to open up, actually talk to him. They hadn't done that in some time.

"I miss Ryu." she said suddenly, and Touma held her slightly tighter. "I hope he's okay." When her parents died, she developed a fear of losing him too. Touma knew this, and he knew that she would just break if something ever happened to him.

"I know. I miss having him around too." And he did. Even if Ryuichi was a few wavelengths behind the rest of them, he liked having another male in the house.

"Yeah." Arina agreed. She felt the gentle touch of Touma's fingers running along the skin of her arm and she sighed, liking the feel of his skin on hers.

She had to admit, if only to herself, that she was in love with Touma. Arina realized it after being on a date with Tatsuha, that no one, even the most wanted man in her high school, maybe next to his brother, Eiri, made her feel as though she could fly every time she was around them but him. Touma made her want to laugh, cry, fly, fall, sing, dance, and sit still all at the same time.

Arina was actually surprised Touma hadn't noticed, or if he had, he didn't return the same kind of love she had for him, or maybe he was just pretending not to care? It was always too much thinking that he may only and ever see her as 'his little Melody,' no matter how much she had grown.

Being wrapped in his arms made her think of all the oppurtunities that she used to take to be this close to him. When Arina cried, they sat in the position they were in now. When she just wanted to be held she laid her head in his lap and he'd stroke her hair and back, jusr giving her that feeling of comfort.

But the one thing that always got to her was dancing. She had loved dancing with him since she was old enough to remember. He would hold her in the proper stance and teach her all of the most challenging and intricate steps. She supposed the dancing had taught her to trust him more than anyone else.

Then there were the times that Touma got dirty when he danced. Arina remembered the first time their hips ground together. It was a rush of ecstacy she could only crave for so long without giving in to total submission, and she didn't want to lose it in front of Touma. How embarassing would that have been?

"You know what?" she whispered. Touma 'hmmed, letting her know he was listening and she continued. "We haven't danced together in forever."

Arina watched as he blinked, considering the information. "You're right, it's been a while." He stated.

Arina thought that Touma was going to leave it at that. Arina thought wrong.

He shifted so that he could meet her eyes with his own green ones. A playful sparkle glinted in them, and Arina just knew she was in for it.

"What would you say to a dance then, Arina?" He was sweet, and as much as she actually wanted just to go to sleep, she couldn't say no, not to him, ever.

"We have no music." She made an excuse anyway. Who knew what the contact with him would do to her, plus she was still partially intoxicated, thus technically, this was impairing her judgement. She thought of using that as an excuse too, but Touma would know something then, and if he really was clueless to her feelings, she thought it best to keep it that way.

"Arina, you act like that's a problem. You should know better than that." He said smoothly. Oh how she hated how he could make her feel so stupid then pick her right back up again moments later, and that's exactly what he was doing. Cheeky bastard.

He reached over the side of the couch and picked up a silver remote. With a simple tap of the green power button colors flittered across the room due to the color changing feature the CD/radio had, and the Top 40 station blared through the speakers. Touma didn't turn it down either, even though the clock in the dining room behind then read 4:02 in the morning.

"C'mon, stand up. We can't dance with you sitting on me." Reluctantly, Arina did move, and stood to the side of the coffee table and waited for Touma. She scratched absently at her leg, and to her surprise she was still in the clothes she was wearing from night's events. Black cargo pants clung to her hips enticingly, and a white frilly shirt with long sleeves she stole from her brother exposed her stomach. Her hair was still pulled into a clip at the top, the rest of her long hair falling wavy around her defined face. Arina was kind of impressed with herself, she managed a dance from Touma, and she was appropriately dressed. She was doing pretty good in her opinion.

Touma hadn't looked too bad himself. He was still in the maroon dress shirt he had worn earlier in the day but he had left the buttons undone, leaving his chest and stomach exposed, Arina noticed, and white and blue plaid cotton pajama pants. His hair was still fairly in order, too. Arina decided that if his pants were a different color, he would look better, but she'd take what she could get.

"Now, what shall we dance to?" Touma had come to stand beside her and draped an arm over her shoulders. They listened to the DJ on the air going on about how this week was "Remember When" week with mild intrest. It must have been the end of the countdown, because they were at number one.

"Now people, get ready for this one! This time almost three years ago, this song was number one all over Japan and thensome. Here it is folks, the number one song of the early morning, this is Sleepless Beauty by Nittle Grasper."

Touma's mouth stood agape for a moment, reminding Arina of a freshly caught fish. She giggled, and hugged him lightly.

"You leave your mouth open like that and you'll start catchin flies." she teased.

Touma picked up his jaw, and smiled. "I just can't believe it's been that long." Arina agreed with a soft, "Yeah," then pulled him as close as she could to her, wrapping one arm around his neck, and placing the other hand on his hip. She looked at him when he gave a surprised yelp. Man, she really needed to calm down. This could go nowhere good if she started hitting on Touma. She settled for a simple explanation.

"Less thinking, more dancing."

He smiled at her, putting both of his hands on her hips. Arina had to bite back a gasp when his thumbs grazed her hip bone.

"You remember our dance to this, right?" Touma asked, already knowing the answer. Arina nodded and waited for the first verse of lyrics to pound though the speakers.

**_tooku de me o hikarasete mezameru monotachi matte iru  
_****_yoru no jouheki sasowarete utsurisumu mure no nukegara ni_**

****

They finally came and the grinded commenced almost immediatly. The dance was almost like a dirty tango, if that made any sense. They had choreographed it when the song came out on a whim, and somehow they both remembered it move for move. There was a lot of head tossing from side to side, there were few times during the dance that they actually looked at each other. They ground each other seductively, performing body rolls at the right times.

**_(deguchi no nai) shougeki ni taeru tsumori nara  
_****_(kuzureru hodo) itsuwari o misete_**

When the bridge kicked in, Touma grabbed the arm around his neck and spun the brunette out, only to have her sway her hips back to him then pretend to kick him in the stomach, only to have him brush it off and sway his hips back to her, standing just far enough away that they were barely touching.

**_umarekawareru anata yo hitori hohoemanaide hitomi o irodoru  
_****_nozonda sekai ga totsuzen hai ni natte mo kiseki ni mada meguriaeru  
(sotto dakishimete kowasu you ni)_**

The chorus kicked in, and the head tossing began, on every other beat for two counts three times, then on the beat three times. Touma grabbed Arina's hands and spun her into him this time, then took her hips and brought them to his, grinding again for a matter of a second, when the head tossing started again in the same count, only to start grinding again until the second to last line of the chorus. Then Touma shimmied back for four counts and Arina spun into him, this time her back facing him. From there it was rythmic swaying until the second verse kicked in.

**_muku na mama de sarasarete hanabira o chirasu hana no you ni  
_****_migaku houseki te no naka no HIBI ni sae kizukihajimeteru_**

Arina couldn't have missed the start of it, for she felt Touma's hands come to her hips and pull her into his groin.This wasn't the first time it had happened, of course, but in that state of mind she was in she couldn't be taking that risk. She let it go until the second bridge came in, allowing him to body roll and grind against her backside, and she did the same to his front, wrapping her arms back behind her and resting on the back of Touma's neck.

**_(tsumetai te ga) nukeochita toge o hirou kara  
_****_(madoromu hi ga) kusuburitsuzukeru_**

The second bridge came too soon, or not soon enough. Arina wasn't sure. She swaped placed with Touma, and he was now facing her, they hastily took a tango pose, and looked the their right, away from each other. They stepped in with their left, then their right, the left, then right again, and switched, so now Arina was going backwards, they repeated the step and switched again, then repeated once more. The last time Arina mixed it up, instead of going backward four, she went back two, then rock stepped into another two count forward. Touma steadied his arms and moved as far away from her as he could without letting go. Her feet shuffled in between them crossing over each other at an astounding pace for four counts. When she was done. Touma was back at her side, and the same thing occured during the second chorus.

**_ima mo todokanu hikari no yukue azayaka ni mau omoi o egakou  
_****_michibiku kotoba ga koborete shimawanu you ni utsuru toki o osorenaide  
_****_(deguchi mo naku) (kuzureochiru)_**

When the chorus came to an end, and the synths were brought up a bit Arina and Touma went back to their Tango position, making slow circles around eachother and gazing into one another's eyes. At that moment, Arina saw something unreadable in his eyes. She wanted to panic, what if she had come on too strong? Did she come on at all? Not enough?

For as much as Arina knew and loved this man inside and out, he still remained a partial enigma.

As quick as Arina was unable to read the emotion in Touma's eyes, it was gone. A fleeting thought maybe?

The synths dropped and the percussion picked up again. From there, the dance had turned into a game of cat and mouse. Arina was the mouse, slipping away from the predator just in the nick of time, and Touma was the cat, wanting to have that mouse in his paws.

Arina spun out of his grasp and across the room, and Touma followed swaying his hips from side to side. When he reached her she slither around him, trailing her hands over his chest and stomach, then around to his back, and pushed him lightly forward. He recovered and sauntered in time behind her. When he latched on her waist, she turned on him, coming face to face with the blonde. She caught him look her up and down, and he smiled at her gently. It made her shiver, and she clung onto him, because that was what she was suppposed to do next, or so Arina kept telling herself.

**_umarekawari no anata yo hitori hohoemanaide hitomi o irodoru  
_****_nozonda sekai ga totsuzen hai ni natte mo kiseki wa mada megurikuru  
_****_todokanu hikari no yukue azayaka ni mau omoi o egakou  
_****_michibiku kotoba ga koborete shimawanu you ni utsuru toki o osorenaide  
_****_(sotto dakishimete zutto tsukamaete motto kokoro made kowasu you ni)_**

The final two choruses began, and it was back to the grinding they seemed so fond of. Their bodies rolled in unison, sending a thrilling sensation through their bodies. At the end of the first chorus Arina grabbed her partner's hands and ducked, swirling herself in a 180 so that her backside was to him again. The grinding continued until just before the end of the second chorus when Arina turned around again and took three skips back. She ran at Touma, who caught her gracefully as she jumped, swinging her legs to the right of him after wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. She swung back to the center, then to the right of him, then to the center again, and her legs flew on either side of him, then it was finally back to the center and on steady ground, but not for long, because Touma spun her into him quickly, and she caught the soul searching stare in his green eyes.

The song had ended, but Touma and Arina were still caught in an upbeat pace of their own, even though it seemed time had stopped. Touma held her with one arm around her mind-back in a slight dip, Arina hanging on with an arm wrapped around his neck, and the other tucked under the arm he was holding her with so that her hand rested on the blade of his shoulder. They looked into each other's eyes deeply and longingly, like looking away would break the chains that held the universe together apart and create unholy chaos. Their faces were inches apart, so close they could feel the breath of the other mingling with their own ragged attempts tp catch their precious oxygen.

Arina blinked, her blue eyes falling on Touma's parted lips, but he had beat her to it. Slowly he closed the gap between them, his free hand came up to her cheek, running a smooth thumb over the flushed flesh, then over her parted pink petals.

"Touma." Arina whispered against the digit. It wasn't a question, it was a plee, and Touma knew it. Moving his thumb to the side he got as close as he could to her lips. Gently he touched them together, just enough that she could feel the words he whispered.

"I love you, Arina." And Touma captured what they had wanted, what he had wanted, for so long.

The kiss wasn't hesitant, but it wasn't rushed. It was passionate and deep. He drew her as close to him as physically possible, bringing her out of the dip and into a standing position without breaking contact. His hand left her face and cradled the back of her head, drawing her in deeper, if that was possible. The hand on Touma's back roamed freely now, running heated circles through the shirt covered skin, and her mimicked the ministration on Arina's own back and side. His tongue brushed against hers lightly, sending pleasant chills through the pair.

There was no need for a fight for dominance, it was already decided. Arina had declared to herself long ago that she wanted to be his, that she wanted to tell the world that she belonged to Touma Seguchi, the best man that has ever or will ever live. She let him explore the contours of her mouth, moaning ever so slightly when he stroked her tongue with his.

Time had halted for Touma and Arina. Each motion was fluidly smooth and sweet. Hesitantly, the kiss was broken and their wyes fluttered open, though neither of them knew when they had closed them.

"Wait here." Touma whispered against her lips. He moved around her and pulled to blankets off the couches. Arina stepped aside and allowed him to lay the thicker one on the floor and set the other to the side for later use. Then he turned back to the nearest couch and grabbed two of the pillows, lying them down at the top of the make shift bed. When he was satisfied with the results he smiled, walking the short distnace to his lover. He stopped about a foot from her and held his hand out. Arina smiled and put her hand in his, letting him guide her to their destiny.

They stopped in the center of the blanket and Touma released her hand, bringing both of his hands to cup Arina's cheeks and pulling her into another passionate kiss.

Arina's heart was soaring, reaching new heights and places she never though possible. She was kissing Perfection, and Perfection wanted her, loved her. She ran her hands through his white-blonde locks. His hair was naturally soft and sweet smelling, somethng else Arina admired about him.

She sighed as Touma slid his hands from her face and travelled her upper body. He ghosted his fingers over her breasts, toying with the fabric that concealed them from him. He searched for the knot in the front and found it, pulling it undone and pushing it aside tossing it where a pile of more garments would be added soon.

In the distance the radio still played. The DJ rambled on about a hot british act that was around eight years ago called the Spice Girls, then introduced the song as 'Viva Forever'.

Touma broke the kiss again, looking deeply in Arina's eyes. "Memorize this song, Melody. This will be our song. Whenever times are bad ad everything seems impossible, use the beautiful voice you've been given and sing it." He lightly smoothed a thumb over her lips and throat and continued. "Always remember that I love you, and I always will."he whispered.

"Touma," Arina willingly let a tear fall from her eye, and more willingly let Touma wipe it away, "I'll never forget. I'll never let this go." She rested her forehead on his and stroked his cheek with her thumb. "I love you."

_**Do you still remember  
**__**how we used to be?  
**__**Feeling together, believing whatever  
**__**my love had said to me?  
**__**Both of us were dreamers,  
**__**young love in the sun.  
**__**Felt like my savior,  
**__**My spirit I gave ya.  
**__**We'd only just begun. **_

Arina kissed him gently before trailing her fingers down the side of his face and neck, coming to rest at his shoulders. She pushed the garment off of him and discarded it with her own white top. Touma's arms came around her and easily unhooked the black bra she wore. He tossed it aside and kissed Arina's neck, sucking on the juncture that met her collarbone and causing her to gasp. He smirked against her skin, liking her reaction and kept sucking the reddend flesh and waited until it was just right before he sunk his teeth into the already bruising skin. Arina let out a cry, but it was soothed away as he kissed and licked the wound better. He came up to her ear and nibbled at the earlobe.

"I want you to be mine, Arina, forever. I left the mark to prove it." Touma whispered, softly nipping her ear in between words.

Arina hugged him to her. "Yes, Touma. Yours, forever. Only yours. Your little melody, forever."

Touma nuzzled her cheek, causing her to turn her head toward him, and he took the oppurtunity to kiss her deelply.

_**Hasta manana.  
**__**Always be mine.  
**__**Viva forever, I'll be waiting.  
**__**Everlasting like the sun.  
**__**Live forever, for the moment  
**__**ever searching for the world. **_

Touma's hands trecked the landscape of Arina's body, memorizing every curve and dip, like he was making a mental map. They caressed her breasts, teasing the half-pert nipples between his fingers. Arina realesed a breathy moan and clung to him tighter. His hands led him to the hem of her pants. He didn't hesitate to ceize the button and zipper holding them up and they fell to the floor in a heap. Arina stepped out of the article and kicked them aside, then added Touma's pants after she had stripped them off of him.

"Black lace panties, huh?" Touma teased as he ran a finger along teh crevase of her opening.

"Yeah," she said breathily, "What about you? Red silk boxers?" Arina stroked the well-endowed buldge in his boxers slowly.

Touma let out a lustful groan and arched into her hand. "Yeah."

Arina's arm wrapped around Touma's neck and Touma's came around her back. They rested their foreheads against each other.

"I like it." They whispered together.

_**Yes I still remember every whispered word.  
**__**The touch of your skin gave me life from within  
**__**like a love song that I've heard.  
**__**Slipping through our fingers  
**__**like the sands of time  
**__**Promises made, every memory saved  
**__**as reflections in my mind.**_

They kissed heatedly, hands stroking and massaging parts they once imagined forbidden. They sunk to their knees, not breaking contact. Arina slid her legs from under her, allowing Touma to lay her down gently onto the cool blanket and pillow. He moved against her hand, holding himself over her with one arm and panting slightly with each loving ministration. Arina sighed breathily as his fingers played with the material of her panties, each brush of his fingertips a step closer to reaching the skin underneath them.

The hand on the back of Touma's neck slipped along his backside, sending chills through his body. It grabbed his ass lightly, then pulled at the silk barrier that hid his erection from her. The hand that was stroking stopped, and assisted the other hand in removing Touma's final defense. He kicked them off somewhere behind him, not caring where they landed.

Touma broke away, leaving her a sweet kiss on her lips. He sat up, exposing his manhood as he did so. Arina's breath caught in her throat. She slithered her fingers around it and pumped it gently. Touma released a rushed breath with each stroke.

"You really are perfect." Arina whispered, more to herself, but Touma heard her. He slipped his working hand into her panties, and along with the other, he took off the final interuption and threw them in the same direction his boxers were disreagarded.

He looked over her, making her blush furiously. His hands massaged her inner thighs, then her vagina, then ran along her smooth torso and breasts until they reached her head. They carssed her scalp, and ran through her hair. The hands found the clip holding her hair up and released it. Wavy brown locks casaded around her head and face, and Touma smiled. He leaned over her, moving hishands on either side of her head for blanance, and kissed the tip of her nose. She wrinkled it, not in distaste, but because it had been something she had done since was little when someone touched her nose.

"My little melody, my perfection will never come close to comparison next to your beauty." His eyes were so serious, Arina thought she would cry. No one had called her beautiful before, no one but Touma that was, and when he said it the was he had, she believed in nothing else. She would die to hear him say that to her again, every night, just like he had.

"Touma, make me yours. Take me." Arina pleeded. "I want us to become one."

Touma kissed her cheek. "Are you sure? I don't want to, but I will stop if you want me to. Think about this before you leap."

Arina stared into his emerald eyes, getting lost in their depths, searching his soul. Her arms came around his neck again. "I don't need to think about what I've known for so long."

"I've wanted this too, so long that the time doesn't exist." Touma admitted, and Arina kissed his forehead, encouraging him. He smiled down at her as he sat up. He wrapped her legs around him and positioned himself above her just right. Arms circled his shoulders loosly, and he kissed her lips.

Looking into her sapphire orbs, he whispered words he thought only he would ever hear. "Arina, my little melody, I have always loved you." and he slowly penetrated her.

_**Hasta manana.  
**__**Always be mine.  
**__**Viva forever, I'll be waiting.  
**__**Everlasting like the sun.  
**__**Live forever, for the moment  
**__**ever searching for the world. **_

Arina gasped as he entered her, burying her face in the crook of his neck. It hurt, but not in a bad way, and she knew it was worth it. Touma settled in her, allowing her time to adjust to the feeling of being filled.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded, and kissed along his neck, pressing him on. He pulled out slowly so that just the tip reamined, then pushed himself back in. Arina arched into him and moaned. This was true bliss. Oh how beautifully perfect it was.

"Faster, Touma." She whispered in him.

They set a steady fluid pace. It wasn't rough, it was love-making. They moved together as one being, pleasuring and loving. Touma knew when he found the spot in Arina that made her toes curl. She nearly cried in ecstacy, and pulled him closer to him with her legs, granted her access to explore her further. He hit the spot over and over again, each time earning him a louder cry of pleasure. She tightend herself around his shaft, the muscles massaging his thrusting erection. Touma moaned as they grew tighter and tighter. Arina was going to cum soon.

Arina's body went stiff, her voice was softer than they had both expected. "Gods, Touma!" Touma came just after her, spilling his essence into her. "Arina!"

The sun hit it's peak, sweat glistened on their bodies. The rays illuminated them, making them glow moreso than they were. Touma and Arina translated it as they were each other's angel.

"I love you." They whispered together.

_**Back where I belong now.  
**__**Was it just a dream?  
**__**Feelings untold,  
**__**they can never be sold  
**__**and the secret's safe with me.**_

Touma slowly pulled out of her and took to laying on her left side. Arina shifted so that he could place the other pillow under his head and allowed him to pull the extra blanket over them. She settled under his chin, content listening to his heart beat. His arms came around her, one arm holding her back and pressing them together, the other occupied playing with her sweat dampened hair. The steady beating in his chest put her to sleep almost instantly.

"Are you asleep, Melody?" Touma got no response, but he smiled.

"My little melody. I guess I can't call you 'little' anymore. You've grown so much, in so many ways. You're truly beautiful, inside and out, so that's what I will call you now. You will be 'My Beautiful Melody'." Touma said, liking the ring to her new name. He fell asleep, the name ringing out in his mind, filling him with pure joy.

As far gone as he was, he didn't miss Arina's comment. "Yes, always your Melody."

He kissed the top of her head.

_'I should repremand you more often.'_

_**Hasta manana.  
**__**Always be mine.  
**__**Viva forever, I'll be waiting.  
**__**Everlasting like the sun.  
**__**Live forever, for the moment  
**__**ever searching for the world. **_


	2. Touma's Secret

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. And also, I DO NOT own Koda Kumi or 1000 Words, Janet Jackson or Doesn't Really Matter, or Ashley Parker Angel or So Alive. I DO however own Empty-Handed, as it was written by me.

Notes: A LONG chapter. Sorry people. Hope you don't mind too much. Consider this as I won't be able to update for a little while. There IS a part in here that may confuse you, and will until I put up the prequal. It doesn't play a major role in this story, so don't worry about it.

Chapter 2 – Touma's Secret

The next time Arina opened her eyes she shut them again instinctively, blocking out the intruding sunlight.

Last night had been everything Arina had dreamed of and more, but maybe that's all it was, a dream.

The soft breathing on the top of her head told her otherwise. Touma was sound asleep with his mouth slightly ajar. His arms were still holding her to him and resting on the back of her head, just like when they had drifted into unconsciousness.

Arina forced her eyes open against the protruding morning light. 'What time is it?' Arina wondered. She carefully moved Touma's arms as not to wake him and sat up, holding part of the sheet to her. She spotted the two nearest garments, her panties and Touma's maroon shirt, and slipped them on. She looked at the dining room clock.

'Eight o'clock. Good, I have some time before I have to be at the studio.' She thought to herself. She kissed the top of Touma's head and ran hand through his hair. Arina stood, her mind chanting one thing. 'COFFEE!' Carefully, she avoided stepping on the sleeping Touma, and headed for the kitchen, catching a glance at the 'mark of ownership' on a small ornate mirror hanging just to the side of the hallway. She stopped and examined the purple and red bruise on her neck. It was definitely a pretty color, she had to admit. She smoothly ran a finger over the spot and hissed as a twinge of pain struck at her.

'Damn!' She looked at the seemingly dead form of Touma on the floor and glared. 'Just you wait, Touma. You're gonna get you're own little love bite, and you're gonna like it too.' Arina smirked at herself. She was so vindictive. Maybe that's why she and Touma got along so well.

The brunette yawned as she continued her journey to the kitchen, and more importantly, coffee.

The kitchen was conjoined with the Dining Room, which was conjoined with the Living Room. All in all, it was one big room with each corner sporting distinct features. The kitchen though, unlike the other parts of the huge room, was stark white and sea green, Touma's colors of choice. It wasn't a bad combination, though Arina would have picked something more modern, like black marble and silver. In fact, Arina remembered she had gotten so bored she wrote down how she would have done the whole apartment. The list was long gone though, and the only thing she remember writing on the paper was something about making Touma's room hot pink, just to mock him, because he hated the color.

'Maybe that's why he doesn't like poor Shuichi.' she thought as an image of her hot pink haired friend entered her mind. She pulled open a cabinet and extracted everything she needed for her coffee. She opened a new package filters and scooped up five cups of coffee grinds, mixed it all up, turned on the coffee maker and presto, she had completed her task. Now she just had to wait for the little 'ding' and her morning would be running smoothly.

Arina leaned on the counter and watched Touma sleep, something she actually did a lot. A lot of times he would fall asleep waiting for her to come home, and when Arina arrived, instead of going to her room, she would set up a bed on the bigger of the two couches and watch him until she fell asleep. Other times she'd just grab the blanket off the couch and put it around them both as she snuggled close to him. She hadn't realized it until now, but there many nights that he would hold her closer, even whisper her name. Arina just thought he was trying to repremand her in his sleep, but now, Arina thought, maybe he was actually dreaming of her. This made her smile and blush softly, and she looked away, checking on her beloved coffee.

'Almost done!' she exclaimed. She reached just to the right of the coffee maker and opened another cabinet, this time pulling out a sea green mug.

'Ding!' The coffee maker chimed and Arina nearly tripped she was so happy.

'COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE!' She turned the machine off and removed the filter and grinds, tossing them under the sink in the garbage can. She inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh scent. This is what morning smelled like for her. She grabbed the pot handle and was about to pour herself a glass of black heaven when she caught sight of the pink slip of paper in her mug. She groaned, disappointed she had prolong the taste of morning bliss and pulled the paper out. It was addressed to her, and had Marin's hand writing on it. Arina opened it up and read the contents within. She had to slap a hand over her mouth so her hysterical laughter didn't wake up her blonde lover.

_'Hey Arina,_

_I'm so happy you and Touma finally got together! I was beginning to wonder if it would ever happen! Just keep it down next time, okay? I can only turn my headphones up so high. _

_I'm meeting Shu and Tat at the coffee shop next to that really big bookstore just off the highway, so we'll meet you at N-G later._

_Don't keep the president out too long, 'kay? _

_Much Love,_

_Marin' _

Arina smiled and set the note aside. Marin was the best co-worker/friend/roommate/sister she could ever ask for. She had always watched her back, much like what Hiro always did with Shuichi. Arina was happy to know someone was supportive, even if Marin had known for years what neither of them did until last night.

She turned her attention back to her coffee. Finally she could have her morning kick. She poured the black liquid into her mug and set the pot on the holder. She took her mug and brought it to her lips, taking a large sip. A warm bitter feeling consumed her and she sighed. She had made love to the love of her life, had at least one supporter, and was drinking a cup of black coffee, all in a matter of five hours. Arina was on a roll, and she loved it.

"So that's where my shirt walked off to." Arms came around Arina's waist, holding her against a warm body and a sweet kiss was placed on the back of her neck. Arina quickly examined the Touma's shirt. It hung loosely on her frame, the sleeves came an inch passed her fingertips, and, she noticed, she neglected to put on a bra, or button up the shirt.

Arina took another large sip of her coffee then leaned into the body behind her. "Good morning to you too." she said smiling.

Touma's hands moved to her sides and ran along the skin, giving Arina the chills. "Can I have it back?" he whispered softly in her ear.

With a third and final large sip of her coffee Arina set the mug on the counter and shook her head. "Nope."

"No? Why not?" He asked her, still caressing her sides.

"Because I'm not wearing anything under it." she answered, as though the fact the man had seen her in all her glory only hours ago had no relevance.

Touma's hands moved to caress her stomach then traveled up. He swiftly pushed the material aside and cupped a breast in each hand, giving them a few light squeezes and earning a high-pitched squeak from the unsuspecting brunette. "You're right, you aren't." He stated convincingly.

"I just said I wasn't." She giggled as she laid her head back on his shoulder and kissed him.

"You know me," he answered, "I always have to double-check everything."

"Oh really? Okay then, how do you suppose you'll double-check a few hours ago?" She teased, trying to catch him at a loss for words.

As many times as she had been able to do it in the past, she had failed this morning.

"There are ways, Arina Sakuma. There are many ways." he replied huskily.

Arina turned in his arms so that she was now facing him, and placed her hands on his chest, sending a heated chill down Touma's spine. Touma moved so that his hips pinned her to the counter. His hands found themselves back over her breasts, massaging the handful-sized lumps, and Arina sighed heavily.

"Touma," she commanded, "drop your pants."

The blonde and bent over, nipping her neck. "It's all yours, Melody." he said against the flesh.

Arina didn't hesitate to react. Her hands flew to Touma's pajama pants and boxers and she tugged on the waistbands. In one swift motion his bottoms were pooled at his ankles and Arina was stroking his already stiff member. Touma's breath hitched, and Arina smirked. "It's payback time, baby." She kept stroking his shaft steadily and Touma had to put his heads on either side of her to keep from buckling at the knees. He rested his head on her shoulder and panted as he arched in and out of his lover's grasp.

Tens of minutes went by and all that was heard was the soft moans escaping the blonde's lips as he was slowly brought into blissfully white oblivion. "Payback . . . for what?" he managed through the beginnings of an orgasm.

"Because I want you to be mine, Touma Seguchi. You left me a beautiful mark of ownership, but you have nothing to show that you are mine."

With her last words Touma came, spreading his seed on his and Arina's stomachs and Arina's hand. Touma grunted her name into her shoulder and brought his arms around her neck. Arina released the softening organ and held her lover to her, enveloping him around his back.

"Please, Touma, say you'll be mine." Arina pleaded in his neck. "Say you'll be mine." She kissed just behind his ear and told him "I love you."

Touma picked his head up from her shoulder, his eyes still glazed from his high, though his voice was perfectly steady. His thumbs ran smoothly over her cheeks and her kissed her sweetly.

"My melody, my Beautiful Melody, I wouldn't have it any other way. Of course I'll be yours, only yours. I will be, your perfect star. How does that sound?"

Arina teared slightly, realizing that this wasn't a dream anymore. Everyone, thanks to Marin, would know by lunch that she was with Touma, and now they belonged to each other, but she pushed the pressing tears aside. She had a job to do.

"It sounds, perfect." she replied, and she sunk her teeth into his skin just to the right of his Adam's Apple. Touma groaned in response, but sighed as Arina kissed and sucked the abrasion back to health.

When Arina was satsified she shifted so that she was leaning more on Touma than the counter, and his arms moved accordingly, hugging her back and cradling the back of her head. How was it he knew just how to make her feel safer than she had ever felt in her life?

Arina didn't care about the answer, really. She cared that he did make her feel the safest she'd ever been when he holds her.

"Arina, we're going to be late for work." Touma warned. "And we still need to take showers." When Arina snickered against his chest he rolled his eyes and added. "And they will be separate showers. It'll take longer if we take one together, and you know it." The brunette halted her sniggers and pinched a small spot on his back, causing him to yelp. "What was that for?"

"You're a hope crusher." she told him.

Touma closed his eyes and smiled as he apologized. "I am sorry. I will make it up to you. I promise you that."

Arina picked her head up and looked at him, shaking her head. "You don't have to. I'm just poking fun with you."

The still nude Touma kissed his half-naked girlfriend. "You're right, I don't, but I am going to anyway." He released her and pulled his pants and boxers back around his waist then kissed her again quickly. "Hurry up and I'll take you, okay?" Arina nodded, tempted to make another innuendo, but decided against, and Touma left the kitchen and turned down the hallway where all of their bedrooms and bathrooms were located. When she heard the click of Touma's bedroom door she glanced at the clock and read the hands positions aloud.

"8:51. We'll be lucky if we make it there before 9:30." She turned back to the counter and set her coffee cup in the sink, splashing some water in it so that the bottom didn't stain. She turned the coffee pot back on so that if Touma decided he wanted a cup or two before they left it would still be at least a little warm.

She exited the kitchen and headed toward the room she Marin shared. She passed by Touma's door, hearing the shower water distantly running. She thought briefly about sneaking in just to give him a kiss, but remembered his words, and kept heading towards the last room on the right of the hallway. She pushed the white door open and entered, heading straight towards the closet to the left.

The room wasn't big, but it suited her and Marin fine. They each had their bed on the opposite wall, Marin's on the left, Arina's on the right with each other their personalities plastered to it. Marin was into strictly oranges and reds, thus her bedspread ended up being flames with heart pillows. How that one worked out, Arina wasn't sure, but it actually fit Marin well. She had hundreds of random clippings of her favorite actors, authors, musicians, etc. plastered to her wall. It actually was pretty neat, because, though incomplete, the clippings took the form of a heart with fire surrounding it. Metal photo frames and CD player that they actually both used were displayed on the mini table separating their beds.

Arina's bed, on the other hand was quite colorful. While her bed was as simple as white sheets and a black comforter, her pillows and everything around it was every entirity of the rainbow spectrum, including fuzzy photo frames and a small shrine above her head space dedicated to Nittle Grasper. The wall along her bed was covered in posters. Near the door was a large poster of black night sky and a rainbow strewn across it. Next to that was Bad Luck when it was just Shuichi, Hiro, and Fujisaki. Then there was a gold plaque from The Ultimate Dance Academy congratulating her on being accepted to the school and for getting the highest ranked score in Japan.

Arina thought for a moment on the dances. She had choreographed one herself, a hip-hop skit to one of Bad Luck's songs, Spicy Marmalade. The other was a ballet duet, and her partner never showed, leaving her stranded. She was lucky Touma helped her practice, because he knew the routine by heart, and was able to fill in for him.

Oh where would she be without Touma?

Finally there was a large poster of Nittle Grasper next to the plaque. Ryuichi was in the center sitting in the middle of an abandoned boardwalk on some beach looking sadly at the camera, Noriko Ukai, one of Arina's favorite people, and another big supporter that she knew of for the Arina and Touma fan club, was to left, her feet dangling off the side of the platform and she stared at the sand beneath her. Last there was her blonde beauty. Touma was standing, leaning back on one of the still taller wooden beams, and he was looking at the night sky. He looked like he was searching for his destiny in those stars, hoping to find the answer to his life. Arina always hoped he had found it.

She rummaged through her side of the closet, looking furiously for something nice to wear. She felt beautiful today, and she wanted to world to know it. She spotted a shirt that she had never worn before tossed in the back of small shelf and examined it. It was black and silver with long sleeves and a boat neck collar, and the final cut was at an extreme angle, starting just passed her hipbone, and ending on the other side to her knee. This was more like a dress, albeit a bit high on the right side, but would be interesting to wear nonetheless. She tossed it on her bed, the pulled a pair of black pants she got from Old Navy from its hanger and tossed it over with her shirt.

Happy with her selection, Arina pulled open a drawer on Marin's side of the room that held all of their bras and panties. She settled on a matching white and blue trim strapless bra and thong set then closed the drawer. She scurried over to the bed, and grabbed laid them down on top of her outfit, glancing quickly at the clock. The numbers beamed 9:03, and Arina grabbed her clothes, taking them to the other bathroom just across the hall.

She set her clothes on the counter then stripped herself of her panties and Touma's shirt. She held up the maroon garment, inhaling deeply into it. It smelled of the blonde, his natural sweet scent mixed with his cologne fused into her nostrils, and she exhaled. She set it on the counter, deciding she was keep it, whether he wanted it back of not.

Arina opened the black and white pinstriped shower curtain, her choice of design, but she knew Touma loved it as much as she did. She set the temperature to her liking, near boiling hot, and turned the shower on. She winced slightly as she stepped into the scolding hot water attacking her skin almost brutally, but let the cascading liquid take her, relaxing and massaging her tense muscles.

Arina sighed. How had everything in her life gone from harder than hell with her feelings for Touma, going out and drinking the feelings away, only to come home to see him sleeping peacefully on the couch and fall all over again, to having Touma return everything she felt, being able to drink him in whenever she wanted, and still in madly in love with him, all in a matter of a few hours? She poured some shampoo in her hair and lathered it, enjoying the slow caress her fingers gave to her scalp.

Was she stressed about being happy? Arina thought about it and came up with an answer. _'I'm not used to being happy. It's just new to me.'_

Touma had always made her happy, even as an infant, or so Ryuichi would always tell her. He said that if anyone ever made her cry Touma would break their toys. Arina guessed her brother made her cry a few times.

Even as she got older, Arina was always happiest when she was with Touma. Something that always stayed with her was when he first began to teach her dance. He was only eight, which made her a measly age of four. He had come home from dance practice, and he had wanted to show Ms. Seguchi what they had learned. She had smiled approvingly, and sat at the kitchen table to watch him. The little Touma looked wildly around for a partner, and Arina was sitting on his mother's lap. He held a hand out to her and she stuck her petite hand in his. He spun her around, and caught her in a dip identical to the one he had kissed her in early this morning. Arina had wanted to dance since then, and Touma taught her everything he learned, and eventually, Ms. Seguchi enrolled her in the class as well. As simple as the memory was, it had altered every portion of Arina's life for the better.

Arina rinsed her hair then put in some conditioner, letting it sit while she shaved.

Touma lover her, he truly loved her. It wasn't because she was voted 'Most Beautiful', or 'Most Talented', and 'Most Popular' in her graduating class, because he had graduated just three years ahead of her. It wasn't because she was the younger sister of the great Ryuichi Sakuma, because he had grown up to know her as so much more, and it wasn't because no one else would have him, because Touma made heads turn and stay turned so the eyes could ogle if he so much as blinked. No, Touma's feelings were true.

_'I'm just used to getting hurt.' _

Arina finished shaving and rinsed her hair of the conditioner. She turned the shower off and pulled the curtain open, where a hand holding out a towel to her awaited. Touma smiled at her sadly as she took the red drying cloth and wrapped it around her dripping wet form.

"You know, you talk your thoughts out loud when you shower." he said.

Arina blushed, looking away from the handsome blonde. "I didn't hear you come in." she replied. Touma ignored her, taking hold of her chin and pulling her face to meet his.

"Who hurt you?" he asked her. Touma was gentle, his eyes, though holding some resentment toward the person who made his melody feel pain, whoever they may be, were concerned. "Who hurt you, Arina?"

Arina almost didn't have the heart to tell him. If they hadn't become lovers overnight, she wouldn't have, even though she trusted him more than anything. But things were different now, and while she still want to tell him, she felt obligated.

"You did."

She felt his heart hit the floor with a loud crack, like a smack to the face. He tried to form words, tried so hard, but all that came were squeaks in his efforts.

"I didn't want to tell you because the only way you could have prevented it was for last night to happen sooner, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I guess in actuality it was my fault, always dreaming of you, always wanting, no, needing to be near you. You didn't know how deep everything ran. How could you have? I specialize in performing arts, I acted calm, cool, collected, and so many times, so many times you've almost caught me in the act, almost caught exposed and pretending it was you, but it's still not your fault. I thought it was for a long time, but now I realize, in the end, I should have let you catch me because now I know that you were falling for me too. So put that Touma smile I love so damn much back on your face because I hate seeing you like that, because it makes me feel like that, and -"

Arina panted against the fingers over her lips. She blinked at the smiling Touma, and he shook his head as he laughed at her.

"You should learn how to breathe when you talk to people." he suggested, and he received a glare in return. "But as for this conversation, we'll have to continue it later. We're going to be late as it is." He looked at Arina's chosen attire, spotting his shirt lying next to it. He held it up, as if to showcase it and turned to Arina. "Will I ever get this back?" he asked her. Arina shook her head and he smiled. He bent down and grabbed her black panties off the floor. "Then I get to keep these." he declared. Arina made to protest, but the effort was lost when he kissed her before stepping out the door, leaving her to her rightful privacy.

Arina darted her hand out to him just before he shut the door completely and latched onto his shirt. He opened the door enough so that they could see each other and looked at curiously.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked softly, but firmly.

Touma smiled and took her outstretched hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"I've never been able to stay mad at you, Melody." he answered sweetly. "Now get ready, it's almost 9:30."

"Shit!" Arina cursed and she dropped her towel and took her hand back from the blonde, who shut the door and went back up the hall. Hastily she threw her outfit on her, brushed her teeth, put on her make-up, and combed her wavy hair.

"What to do with this?" Arina thought in reference to her hair. She looked in the mirror and decided she looked nice as it was. She put some hair spray in for good measure and made herself smell good with deodorant and her favorite fragrance, Exclamation, before opening the door and Marin's room. She quickly pulled on some socks grabbed her high-heel black boots, slipping them on as well. She took her black dance bag and her beige sequenced purse and stepped out the door.

"Arina, it's snowing! Make sure you grab a coat!" She heard Touma from the living room.

"Okay!" she called back. She set her bogs on her bed and grabbed her favorite coat. It was a gift from Touma, identical to his black and grey coat in style, but Arina's was completely white. She slid her arms in the proper places, picked up her bags, and finally made it down the hallway.

She noticed Touma was already waiting for her by the front double doors, the living had been cleaned from the previous festivities, and he held a tall mug of the rest of the coffee. Arina also noticed the pink piece of paper in his hand.

He held it up, an eyebrow raised in question. "Should I keep it down then?" he asked in reference to Marin's comment.

Arina laughed and took the paper from him, putting it in her pocket. "Only if you want me to stop kissing you."

Touma laughed with her. "I guess my sister will just have to get used to it." He opened the door for Arina and she stepped through, swiftly grabbing her grey mesh paperboy hat and kissing her boyfriend.

"I guess so." she replied, and smiled, pulling her hat over her head.

Touma closed and locked the door, following Arina, who had taking up to dancing down the long corridor it the elevator. She spun with her leg out ballet style, and threw her arms to the side, humming an upbeat tune. She threw Touma off guard when she slid across the tiled floor towards him and stood up quickly to wrap an arm around his neck and grinf her hips against his. His breath caught in his throat and Arina cheered.

"That's prefect! Yes! Thanks, Touma!"

The stunned blonde, once he figured out how to breath again, stared at her in confusion as she leapt through the air and landed on one leg, the other spinning her about.

_'At least things will never be boring.' _he thought. He pressed the button on the silver panel that called the elevator. Arina was still spinning when it arrived.

"Hey, Arina! Arina, come on! It's leaving!" Touma called to the dancer. She spun into the elevator, tripping on nothing that either of them could see and landed on Touma, who caught her as she pinned him to the wall. The elevator door closed and Touma managed to press the button to the ground floor.

The position the two were in was needless to say, suggestive. Arina's hands were splayed across Touma's chest while he held her by the middle of her back and a hand on the back of her thigh.

If this were any other situation, Touma would have taken full advantage of her, with permission of course, but they were in public, not a place that this needed to happen. However, the dizzy Arina kept falling on him, and she couldn't stop laughing at, what Touma guessed, the predicament they'd be in if they were caught.

"Arina, please move. You know what will happen if we're caught like this." Touma begged as he tried to at least move her off him. Paparazzi would have a field day if they found out about himself and Arina, because, he had to admit, everyone but the two of them saw what was coming.

'Arina Sakuma, Most Talented Talent at N-G Productions and Touma Seguchi, President of N-G Productions: Finally Over The Played Brother/Sister Act And Onto Something More?' Oh yeah, Touma could see the headlines coming a mile away.

"S-sorry, Touma. Whoa! Room spin!" Arina had finally managed to roll onto the side of him, clinging to the wall for dear life, though she was still laughing loudly. "G-guess I got c-carried away."

Despite that the paparazzi that was sure to be waiting for them down in the lobby, he wrapped an arm around her and smiled.

"Just be careful, okay? We don't want the world to know, and least not yet." he told her. Arina nodded, seeming to have her balance back.

"Can you stand on your own?" Touma asked her.

"I think so. You can let go." As much as she knew Touma didn't really want to, he did.

The elevator chimed and the pair walked out like true professionals. Touma's black and grey coat stood at perfect angles, his purple turtleneck sweater and blue jeans looked brand new, though he had had them for years, even his everyday black hat looked like he bought it this morning. Arina always wondered if he had a stash of them somewhere. She pulled her black and silver sunglasses from her purse, placing them on her face, and Touma put on his peach framed glasses.

If someone were watching them in a movie, think like badass Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

They handled the press and paparazzi easily enough, simply by not making any comments or facial expressions at anyone. It wasn't like they were stuck-up superstars, but all of them wanted to know the same thing: "Are the two of you more than what you say?" Arina remembered one day Touma swore he was going to have one guy assassinated if he asked him that one more time. At the time, she thought it was because he didn't want her as anything more than what she was. Now, she understood it as he was mad at himself for not being anything more.

For as enigmatic as he was to her, she could still read him like a book most times.

They reached the car unscathed. Touma clicked the button to unlock the vehicle and opened the dark blue metallic door for Arina before closing it and letting himself in on the other side. He shut the door, put the key in the ignition, and pulled off the curb.

Arina pulled off her sunglasses and put them back in her purse since there was no sun. It was, after all, snowing.

"Do you think the snow will stick?" she asked Touma as she turned on the radio.

"I don't know." he responded, not taking his eyes off the white frosted road. "It's been pretty cold, so yeah, I think it will."

The rest of the drive was silent, save for the radio in background and Arina singing along. Touma loved listening to his melody sing.

_**I know that you're hiding things  
**__**using gentle words to shelter me.  
**__**Your words were like a dream  
**__**but dreams could never fool me,  
**__**not that easily.  
**__**Save your tears 'cos I'll come back,  
**__**I could hear that you whispered  
**__**as you walked through that door,  
**__**but still I swore to hide the pain  
**__**while I turned back the pages.  
**__**Shouting might have been the answer.  
**__**What if I cried my eyes out and  
**__**begged you not to depart?  
**__**But now I'm not afraid to say  
**__**what's in my heart.**_

_**'Cos a thousand words  
**__**call out through the ages.  
**__**They'll fly to you,  
**__**even though I can't see  
**__**I know they're reaching you  
**__**suspended on silver wings.  
**__**Oh a thousand words,  
**__**one thousand embraces  
**__**will cradle you,  
**__**making all of your  
**__**weary days seem far away.  
**__**They'll hold you forever.  
**__**Oh a thousand words  
**__**have never been spoken.  
**__**They'll fly to you,  
**__**they'll carry you home  
**__**and back into my arms,  
**__**suspended on silver wings.  
**__**And a thousand words,  
**__**call out through the ages.  
**__**They'll cradle you,  
**__**turning all of your lonely  
**__**years to only days.  
**__**They'll hold you forever.  
**__**Oh. A thousand words.**_

The song ended just as they pulled into the parking lot at N-G. It wasn't a long drive, ten minutes tops, but Arina always loved it. She liked being a part of the bustling city.

Arina opened her door and took a stop out, the snow crunching under her light weight.

"Wait, Arina." Touma told her.

She pulled her leg back in the car and closed the door, looking at the blonde haired man curiously. Arina asked him, "What's up?"

Touma took her hand and held it tight. He looked directly ahead, not making eye contact with her. "Things are different now, but people don't need to know that. Our close friends and family, that's it." He sounded stern but Arina could tell he was worried.

"If you're afraid I can't handle paparazzi, don't think too hard on it. I've dealt with it since I was thirteen. Okay, that's only five years, but that's just as long as you, and -"

Touma was smiling again, and he chuckled. "I'm more concerned about the paparazzi getting mauled." Arina gave him a playful glare, and he continued. "Actually, I want to ask you for permission."

Arina cocked an eyebrow in question at him. "For what?"

Touma looked at her. "I've been thinking for some time now, if we ever did get together, how would we handle the paparazzi and press. Just now, I thought of something. I'll call of the papers, tabloids, magazines, T.V. stations, and everyone else who's been pushy, and tell them that we are an official couple, and in exchange, they keep their photographers and reporters away, and put a message out to the public that we are not to be disturbed. They can write and televise their respective reports once, and in return, we get our privacy. How does that sound to you?"

Arina thought it over and saw nothing wrong with it. She brought his hand up to her lips and kissed it. "I trust you, Touma. Do what you need to."

Touma smiled and leaned over, meeting his lips with hers. "Good. Well then, shall we?"

Arina nodded and the got out of car. They put on their professional facade again as they walked side by side across the parking lot to the forever tall building. They entered the double glass doors, Touma letting the brunette go first. He followed after her, finally taking off his sunglasses and glancing at his wrist watch.

"9:46, not bad only forty-six minutes late." Arina could tell Touma was mad that he was late, but it was just as much his fault as it was hers. She didn't respond as they continued so far uninterrupted down the hallway towards the elevators. Just as the pair reached the metal doors the nearest elevator dinged, revealing Marin.

"Ah, good morning, Marin. How are you?" Touma asked her politely.

"Oh, just having a heart attack because out number one choreographer and vocalist and our president are just now showing up to work, and how many times do I have to tell you to loosen up when it's just me and Arina? We've seen you at your worst, at your best, and them some. We're not going to judge you."

Arina loved Marin. As Touma's little sister, she was expected to do great things, and she did. Sure, Touma was higher up in the long run, but Marin wasn't bad off. She was the second guitarist in Bad Luck and another choreographer paid by N-G. She was blonde like her brother, but her eyes, unlike Touma's green, were a royal purple, almost black at first glance. Marin was easy going, and very much a procrastinator, always needing that extra push, and she was always casual when she spoke, giving people the impression that she was careless, which wasn't true, it just took a while to convince her to work.

Touma swallowed his Presidential Pride and apologized. "I'm sorry, Marin. We'll try to be on time from now on." While Touma didn't like being casual at work, he tried, if for no one else than for Marin and Arina.

Marin shook her head and hugged the taller blonde, the pulled Arina in as well, creating her own little group hug. "I'm really happy for you two," she whispered, "I've had a feeling all the years you waited would pay off. You're the perfect couple."

Touma and Arina smiled at her, than at each other.

"And I really hate to break this off, but you need to some with me and give those lyrics to Shuichi and help me help Janet with her dance." Marin said as she let go of Touma and grabbed Arina's hand, dragging her to the nearest empty elevator and tossing her inside, waving at her brother, who waved back with a slight look of shock pasted to his face.

"Bye, Touma!" Arina called just as the door shut and took them to the third floor. The brunette turned on her blonde friend and yanked her hand out of her grasp. "What the hell was that for? I know Shu needs those lyrics, they're in my bag, and we don't need to meet with Janet until 11:30.

Marin gave her a smile that resembled Touma's when he was up to something, but said nothing.

"Damn you, tell me!" Arina demanded, not really mad, but simply curious.

The elevator stopped and the door flung open. Marin stepped out first, Arina following close behind.

She screamed when Hiro and Shuichi attacked her from both sides and sandwiched her in between them.

"We heard about you and the President!" Shuichi yelled in her left ear.

"Yeah, congratulations, Ari!" Hiro yelled in her other ear.

Arina laughed. "Thanks guys."

"The president has been fond of you for some time now." Arina recognized the voice as her raised to be cousin, Fujisaki.

"What? Did everyone know before we did?" Arina asked. Her response was an array of various forms of 'yes'.

Arina sighed. The fan club had already been alerted, now all she needed was -

"Arina Lynn Sakuma, I'm calling you over here!" Arina knew that voice too well. She smiled and dropped her bags, breaking away from Hiro and Shuichi.

"Noriko Ukai, I'm telling you that I'm coming!" she called back. She sped up the ramp and cleared the going up the stairs into the platform just outside the recording room and rounded the corner, running straight into Noriko's open arms.

"Marin called me first thing this morning and told me. I'm so happy for you, Darlin'!" Noriko told the brunette girl in her arms.

"Thanks, Nori." Arina replied. She stepped back and turned around, looking at all of her friends, who had followed her up the ramp and brought her bags, no, wait, one was missing. "Where's Tatsuha?"

Marin shrugged. "He said he had some things to take care of before Janet's dance rehearsal. He just took off, but he looked kinda pissed."

Arina shrugged back. Whatever it was, she was sure he would get over it. She turned back to Noriko, who was still brimming with happiness and cocked an eyebrow at her. "What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be two towns over taking care of confidential business until next week?"

Noriko winked and smiled. "I got done early, so I was on my way home the morning and that's when Marin called me. When she told me about you and Touma. I could hardly wait to see you, so I came straight here, and now that you're here, you're gonna tell us all the juicy details!"

Arina jumped in shock. "What! No, I can't! That's not fair!"

"Oh, c'mon, Ari! We've been waiting for this longet than you have, so you gotta tell us!" Marin begged, pulling on the brunette's arm.

Arina turned and saw Shuichi, Hiro, even Fujisaki, standing with equally curious faces. She was stuck, kiss and tell, or keep Touma's faith?

After a good deal of thought, Arina sat on the table and smiled blissfully. She took off her coat and set it on a nearby chair. Besides, Touma loves her for her, right?

"It started as a simple back rub." She began. Immediately, everyone took a seat around the story teller, more excited about it than Arina thought was probably necessary.

"Wait, are you guys really sure you want to heat this? I mean," she looked at Shuichi and Hiro, "your boss?" Both of them nodded, and she looked at Noriko, "Your best friend?"

Noriko smiled and clapped her hands. "I've been waiting for this too long."

Arina rolled her eyes, looking next at Fujisaki. "Your cousin?"

Fujisaki simply nodded. "I'm pretty indifferent."

Finally, Arina turned her attention to Marin, who was sitting directly in front of her. "You really want to know how long your brother's shlong is?" the brunette asked her bluntly.

Marin smirked. "I've watched you two fall in love, now I want to know the results of the long wait you put us through, even if it means you getting into extremely gruesome details." She was dead serious too, in fact, as Arina looked around the table, she noticed all of them were.

"Well then, I guess I should spill then, huh? Okay well, like I said . . ."

Arina didn't go into extreme details, saving her listeners from disgust and herself and Touma from embarrassment. The group hung onto her every word, save for Fujisaki, who was, like he said, indifferent. The conversation was filled with "awws" and "oh my God! He really said that?", and "You two are so kinky" 's, and Arina couldn't help but laugh.

"And that's it. We got here, then Marin mauled us just outside the elevators." Arina concluded her tale.

"Sounds like you had quite the early morning."

The group turned to see Tatsuha Uesegi, N-G's number four behind Marin, Touma, and Arina. He sauntered to the table, opting to sit on top with Arina rather than in a chair like everyone else.

"Um, yeah?" I guess." Arina replied sheepishly. "But seriously guys, not a word to anyone, even each other, okay?" Everyone nodded but the newcomer. Arina elbowed Tatsuha and he grunted a 'yes'.

"Good, now that I've wasted," she glanced at the clock on the wall to check the time, "forty minutes of your time, let's get to work." Arina said cheerfully. The rest of the table groaned, and Noriko excused herself.

"I'd actually love to watch you guys record, but I need to speak to Touma before heading home. I'll be back around one-thrity." The lavender haired woman gave Marin and Arina their hugs, and she ruffled Shuichi's hair before heading down the ramp and clicking the button to Touma's personal floor on the elevator.

"Hey, Ari, did you finish those lyrics by chance?" Hiro asked as he helped her slide off the table top.

"Oh yeah! Hey Shu, take a look at these!" Arina dug through her black bag, pulling out a red notebook and tossed it at the pink-haired singer. "I was inspired by that session Hiro and Fujisaki had the other day. That celestial sound with a steady rock beat totally fits this song."

Shuichi looked at the inked words, the melody already forming in his head. "Ari, these are great! Let's get this on demo now!" Shuichi yelled as he ran into the sound booth and stood in front of the microphone, waving to everyone else.

Arina laughed, then headed toward the sound booth as well, motioning for the others to follow as she did so, save for Tatsuha, who wasn't in Bad Luck, just someone who hung around. They complied willingly, taking their respective places inside and awaited further instructions. Arina took the notebook back from Shuichi momentarily, and gave everyone their parts.

"Okay, Fujisaki, I want a celestial sort of chimes with a steady bass in the background. Hiro and Marin, between the two of you, I need one to keep a constant riff, think like a four count with four eight-notes, a quarter note, a rest, and another quarter note, and for the other part, something intricate and elegant. I'll let you decided on how you want that to play out. Shuichi, you and I will split the vocals. You can take the verses, I'll take the bridges, and we'll join at the chorus. Does that work for everyone?"

The group nodded and Arina smiled. "Good." She handed the notebook back to Shuichi. "I'll give you guys some time to work on it before we record, obviously." Arina noticed then that their manager was absent. "Where's Mr. Sakano?"

Shuichi raised his hand and Arina rolled her eyes lovingly. "Yes, Shuichi?"

The lavender eyed boy spoke enthusiastically. "He said he had to speak to the president this morning, but with Noriko going to talk to him too, I bet he'll be back in no time."

Arina nodded in comprehension and thanked Shuichi before heading out of the booth and joining Tatsuha, who was still on the table. She hoisted herself up next to him, and swung her legs happily. Arina looked at him, noticing he wasn't quite there. Tatsuha's head was hung low, his eyes were sad, or maybe they were angry? His normal goofy self seemed to have floated out the window. She poked him playfully, grabbing his attention with a loud gasp of surprise.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." Arina apologized. "Are you okay, Tatsuha? You know you can always talk to me, right?" She put a comforting hand on his back and he stiffened, his face growing red as though he was about to burst with anger. She withdrew her hand, but his face hadn't changed. What was with him?

Arina slid off the table again and stood in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "C'mon, it can't be that bad. Your brother and sister are okay, right?" Tatsuha nodded, not looking at the brunette girl. "Well, all of us are alive and well, and our lives are happy as far as I know. That's good right?" Tatsuha nodded again, this time looking at her.

Arina hugged the dark-haired boy. "Then what's wrong, Tatsuha? I hate seeing one of my partners in crime so down." She told him.

Tatsuha, rested the top of his head on her stomach. "It's nothing." he said, but she could hardly hear him.

Arina released him, giving him a caring smile. "Well, if you need to talk, you know where to find me." she told him. She headed back into the booth to check on everyone's progress.

"Ari, check this out." Marin called. Arina stood with the two guitarists and keyboardist and listened to the music behind the lyrics. She ran through the words in her head, seeing if it matched with the beat in the right ways. "It sounds great you guys!" she said after they played her a sample. "Just make sure that the upbeat part of the song gets stronger when the chorus kicks in." The trio nodded and Arina turned to Shuichi. "You need some help?" she asked him. It was a stupid question. She knew that Shuichi, like her and Ryuichi, was a lyric genius, and would be able to make a steady flow of what she hadn't already had. He shook his head, looking up at her. "I actually think we could record now, but without our manager and sound people, we're kinda fucked." Shuichi stated.

"Hmm, that is a bit of a problem, isn't it?" Arina looked at her watch. Only a half hour before herself, Marin, and Tatsuha needed to be two floors up dancing. This could get really tight.

"Miss Arina, you're finally here!" Arina turned to see Mr. Sakano standing to the doorway to the booth with a smile.

"Ah, good morning, Mr. Sakano. Yes, and I just gave the lyrics and parts to everyone. As soon as you can get a hold of some sound people, we can start recording this and put it on the new CD."

"That's great! I've already called the studio guy, so they should be here any moment." Mr. Sakano said.

As if on cue, the studio crew came up the ramp and took their places on the other side of the glass room. They got their equipment ready and signaled Bad Luck when they were ready.

"Ready guys? This is it, and it's a first trial, so let's see how it goes!" Arina yelled cheerfully as she put on her headphones.

"That's Ari for you, always giving pep talks." Hiro said to Marin.

Marin shrugged. "I think she takes more after my brother than I do sometimes." Hiro and Fujisaki sniggered and Shuichi turned around.

"I guess they have more in common after last night." he chimed in as he put on his headphones, and the four of them giggled. Arina elbowed Shuichi in the stomach, then turned and glared at the others, who stopped laughing until they saw the stupid grin plastered on her face.

"Are you guys, ready? This is only the first take, so if you don't like it, we can redo it." One of the studio men said.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Shuichi cheered.

The room fell quiet. Fujisaki filled the room with the most beautiful light sound, and Marin kept a steady riff with the soft rock beat. After thirty or so seconds, Shuichi sang.

_**Scented flowers fill the air,  
**__**as fake as the love we made.  
**__**Snow falls, and you're not here.  
**__**I wonder who will keep me warm?**_

The beat picked up slightly when Hiro joined in the mix and Arina began her bridge.

_**Wish I could transcend time  
**__**and leave this life behind  
**__**I look to the guiding stars  
**__**and come up empty-handed.**_

The beat was totally up now, and Shuichi and Arina's voice blended.

_**Thrilling lights fill the city  
**__**brilliant darkness floods the night  
**__**And the only thing missing is you  
**__**Dancing wildly along the streets  
**__**Singing a happy lullaby  
**__**And the only thing missing  
**__**is you.**_

Shuichi's voice reined again, and Hiro's beat was cut.

_**Without an exit, the road  
**__**comes to a bruising end.  
**__**Emotion that never existed  
**__**flees from the scene  
**__**like a robbery. **_

Hiro slowly brought up his rhythm, and Arina sang her heart out.

_**Wish I could transcend time  
**__**and leave this world behind  
**__**There's nothing left to steal  
**__**I'm still empty-handed.**_

The guitars were back, and the vocalist's sang together again.

_**Thrilling lights fill the city  
**__**brilliant darkness floods the night  
**__**And the only thing missing is you  
**__**Dancing wildly along the streets  
**__**Singing a happy lullaby  
**__**And the only thing missing  
**__**is you.**_

Arina and Shuichi kept together singing in time with one another. Fujisaki changed the celestial beat so it met with each beat.

_**One more song, one more tragic ending.  
**__**No more wishes, my genie gave up on me.  
**__**Amongst the noise I see your face  
**__**just like before, you whispered to me  
**__**lies of a tale older than us. **_

Arina took the mic again. Everything else dropped but Fujisaki's beat.

_**I transcended time, and left it all behind.  
**__**I wonder if my silhouette will stain you.  
**__**Hold my soul, keep it safe.  
**__**I am empty-handed. **_

The beat gradually picked up again, and Marin and Hiro joined back into the mix. Arina and Shuichi sang together once more.

_**Thrilling lights fill the city  
**__**brilliant darkness floods the night  
**__**And the only thing missing is you  
**__**Dancing wildly along the streets  
**__**Singing a happy lullaby  
**__**And the only thing missing  
**__**is you.**_

Hiro dropped his beat again, letting Fujisaki and Marin bring it to an end. One of the studio men and Tatsuha clapped, and Mr. Sakano was crying, as usual.

"That was great guy! Are you sure want to do it again, because I'm telling you, that was prefect to go on the record." The other studio man said. Arina turned to everyone to get a conformation before turning back to the guy and giving him a thumbs up.

"Great, you can take a quick break, and we'll pick up again later." he said.

"Okay!" Shuichi called.

Arina glanced at her watch. "11:16." she said to herself. She called over her shoulder to Marin, who was in a heated staring contest with Hiro.

"Hey, Marin, let's head over to Janet's early. I don't think she'll mind the extra help." Arina suggested. When she got no response, she turned around, watching her two friends stare at each other. Arina rolled her eyes as she walked the short distance to them. She flicked both of their ears, causing both of them to blink.

"You blinked first!" They accused at one another.

"Fujisaki blinked first. Now come on, you're coming with me." Arina said rather bored. Fujisaki and Hiro looked at her and watched the brunette drag her blonde friend out the door, grabbing Tatsuha along the way.

"I wasn't even playing." Fujisaki stated once the door was shut.

_III_

The morning was already long, and it had only been twenty minutes. Touma had piles of papers that seemed to grow larger everyday stacked on his desk, and nearly a full inbox on his work phone full of messages. Plus the matter with the press and paparazzi had given him quiet the headache. He didn't want to be interviewed, that's why he called them in the first place. Fortunatly, all of the media were very respectful and understanding, agree to his terms easily. Still, this was insane.

The blonde sighed, massaging his temples. The days just had to bring him down, no matter how happy he was, didn't they? He began looking over the packet on Bad Luck in front of him. He needed to present this to Mr. Sakano A.S.A.P. he picked up his phone about to call the manager when a knock came from his door.

"You may enter!" Touma called from his desk. The door opened quietly, and was shut just the same. Timid footsteps padded along the carpet, and stopped when they reached the front of his desk.

"Good Morning, Mr. Sakano." Touma greeted without looking up from the packet. "I assume you are here to get the latest reports on Bad Luck?"

"Uh, yes sir, but I also have another matter to discuss." Mr. Sakano said nervously.

"Oh?" Touma asked. "What is the matter, Mr. Sakano." Touma looked up from the packet.

Mr. Sakano looked around and pulled at his tie. "Well, uh, that is . . ." He started.

Touma smiled as gently as he could. "Please, Mr. Sakano. I am on a tight schedule. If you have another matter to discuss, please discuss it, otherwise, I will give you the packet on Bad Luck and bid you good day." he said politely.

"Ah! Yes sir! See, I heard a rumor this morning, and-"

Touma already knew where this was going. He lightened the mood a bit, asking the poor panicky man to sit down.

"This is about the rumor Marin Seguchi started, is it not?" When Mr. Sakano nodded, the president continued. "Well, while I feel it is not much of anyone's business, I will confirm to you it is indeed true. I have a very special relationship with Miss Arina Sakuma. Media has already been alerted and warned that there is to be no extra press coverage on our relationship, so you can stop worrying about that." Touma reassured.

Mr. Sakano released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and spoke. "Well, yes sir, I am sure you took care of the necessary things. However, I was more concerned if this was going to change the plans you have for her."

Touma smiled and closed his eyes. "No, I still intend to go through with everything as we planned. Miss Noriko should be here at any moment with the results. Once I have received them, we can take an affirmative action."

"Ah that is good." Mr. Sakano said happily.

"Now, about Bad Luck's profile. Things are up for them since their new single debuted at three on the charts behind Ryuichi's imported solo album in America and another band from a different company. They are still number one at N-G, a very promising spot. I am glad they are having such success." Touma complimented.

"Th-thank you, sir."

Touma continued. "Bad Luck has had an enormous amount of achievements this year. I am impressed, but with all this success, they will fall."

Mr. Sakano stood up quickly. "What do you mean, Mr. President?"

Touma sighed. "Miss Sakuma has promoted them a lot. I'm afraid I have to admit that is because the public is hung up on a relationship between the two of us. She has become the most favorable member according to polls, and that is one of the reasons I want to take her away from that. She doesn't need a band to support her, and she is leaving to go to school soon as well. Bad Luck, without the help of Miss Arina, will fall."

"But, President, are saying that she will take Bad Luck's success when she goes? Are you afraid that she will be overwhelmed? I don't understand."

"What I am saying, Mr. Sakano, is that Bad Luck gave her the success she needed to get to where I want to put her, but along the way, she has won many hearts, and will maybe take some away from Bad Luck when she leaves. I don't want it to become a shock when she becomes bigger than Bad Luck ever will be." Touma said smugly.

"What makes you so sure that she will be on top, Mr. President?" Mr. Sakano asked defensively.

Touma stood and looked out the large mirror wall of his office. "She has connections in all the right places. Her brother is the great Ryuichi Sakuma, Miss Noriko is the best musician one can find these days, and I am her significant other, the President of N-G Productions, and her producer/manager. She has the best vocals in Japan according to Bop Peat magazine, and I will not deny that even I am captivated by her voice. Mr. Sakano," Touma turned around, looking at him sternly, "Arina will become number one in Japan."

While Mr. Sakano didn't want to hear it, Touma had it covered. Arina would be number one.

"Don't look so upset, Mr. Sakano. Of course, I will still represent Bad Luck as well, and make sure they do not plummet off the charts. Besides, they are very good artists, and have and can go far without Miss Sakuma. Bad Luck will give us a challenge, exactly what Miss Sakuma needs." Touma concluded.

"Yes, Mr. President. Should I alert her of the plan?"

Touma shook his head. "No, I will be the one to tell her in the near future. All we need now is Noriko to bring us what we need, and we'll be ready."

Mr. Sakano nodded. "Good day, Mr. President." he said as he headed toward the door.

"Mr. Sakano?"

The blue haired man turned around, looking at the president.

"Use her talents while you still can."

Again Mr. Sakano nodded. "Yes, sir." He opened and closed the door somewhat bitterly.

Touma sat back down. Yes, things were going well in his plan. Now, if Noriko would just hurry back from her trip . . .

"Good morning, Touma!"

Touma looked up to see his purple-haired friend standing in the doorway.

"You're back early." he stated.

"Turns out the place was so impressed with Arina they wanted her as soon as possible." she replied. "I was on my way home this morning, thought I'd stop by here first."

"I thank you." Touma said. "Things will certainly be interesting from here on out."

"Says the man who got lucky early this morning." Noriko shot back.

Touma blushed lightly, standing up again. "Did my sister tell the whole studio already?"

Noriko shook her head. "Only the band members, Tatsuha, Mr. Sakano, and me. Besides, you have a fan club in Bad Luck. They've been pushing Ari to go for it forever. I'm only glad one of you moved it, because it was becoming depressing watching the two of you watch each other longingly and watching the two of you fall in love."

Touma didn't know what to say, all he could do was blush.

"Anyway, here are the results from the panel there." She pulled open her purse and pulled out a white envelope, handing it to Touma. "They were seriously impressed with her."

"That was to be expected." Touma stated as he took the envelope. "She is extremely talented after all."

He opened it, looking through it's contents. "This studio has good taste." Touma said.

"I still don't understand why you don't want her to record here." Noriko said.

"I'm still going to produce her and manage her, but I think it would be easier for her if she wasn't around Bad Luck. They're going to be pretty upset that she's leaving them. I don't want to put her through having to deal with feeling guilty." Touma explained.

"I don't know about that, Touma." Noriko thought aloud. "They all acknowledge her talents. Maybe they'll be able to get along fine without her."

"It's like I just told Mr. Sakano. Most of Bad Luck's success over the past year has been thanks to Arina. She is the favorite in every magazine, and she has connections in all the right places. They won't be happy we're taking their biggest reason for success." Touma restated.

Noriko sighed. "Are you sure you're not just being biased because of your feelings for her?"

Touma glared for a moment, then softened. "Read the articles for yourself. People want to hear her solo, without Bad Luck behind her."

"I believe you, Touma, okay? It's your call after all." Noriko gave up. "But still on the Arina topic, I so happy for you!" she squealed.

Touma smiled. "Thank you, Noriko. I hope the press handles it the same way, but in a less personal manner."

"Speaking of which, did you take care of that already?" Noriko asked.

"Yes, the media has been notified and warned." Touma said confidently.

"You know those media buffs though. They'll stop at nothing to get the good story." Noriko said matter-of-factly.

"As that may be so, I hold all of their jobs in my hands." Touma said with a slight smirk on his face.

Noriko laughed. "It must be great, owning half of Japan like that."

The blonde chuckled. "Yeah, it has it's perks."

Noriko shook her head and shrugged. "Oh well, I better get going. I told Bad Luck I'd be back later to watch them record their next album. If I can get away from them for a little bit, I'll drop in again, okay?"

Touma nodded. "That'd be nice. It gets me away from my job for a while."

Noriko bounded to the door, smiling happily. "Okay then, Touma, see you later."

"Good-bye, Noriko." Touma called.

Touma leaned back in his leather chair and sighed. He looked at the small clock on his desk nearly hidden under all the papers. It read 11:25.

"Hmm, already so late into the morning, and I feel like I've done nothing." Touma said sadly. Lunch break was in a little over an hour at 12:30. Maybe he'd pcik up Arina in the dance hall and take her to lunch. They hadn't gone out together in a long time. Yes, that's what he would do.

Touma grunted. "But until then, paperwork. Joy."

_III_

"Damn it all!"

Marin and Tatsuha looked at the disgruntled brunette digging through her dance bag. The contents had been tossed about the corner and she was holding the bag upside down.

"What's the matter?" Marin called to her.

Arina stood and walked over to her friends. "I forgot I wore my dance pants last night to the club, and I forgot my shirt in the laundry room. So I have no clean clothes to wear for practice." She put her hands on her hips and hung her head slightly.

"Hmm, well, maybe Janet has something extra, because I've got nothing, and I don't think Tatsuha has anything flattering for you." Marin said as she playfully elbowed the black-haired male.

"Alright. I'll be back." Arina said frustratedly.

Marin and Tatsuha watched her go, Tatsuha's gaze lasting a little longer than necessary.

Arina walked up to a short dark skinned woman with a large chest, and a dark curly hair. "Janet, do you have something I can wear to dance in? I left my clothes at home." Arina asked her nicely.

Janet smiled. "Oh yeah! My extra clothes are in the next room. Just choose what you want, okay?"

Arina thanked her and ran into the next room. Sure enough there was a rack of Janet's clothing she was to be using for the next few days during her photo shoots and music videos. Arina looked through the array of outfits, some outrageous, and some simple. She settled on grey sweatpants and a cream colored tube top that showed off the entirety of her torso. Simple, a bit mismatched, but it worked for her. She put on her chosen attire and threw her hair in a ponytail with a hair tie she found in her pocket, then met up with everyone in the dance hall.

"Sorry guys." she apologized, only to realize no one was paying attention. There was a steady beat rolling through the room. It was a rap artist, Ciara, Arina recognized. Janet and her group, Marin, and Tatsuha had made a circle, everyone taking turns dancing in the center.

As much as Arina hated to admit it, she couldn't turn down a dance-off.

She watched Marin and Tatsuha did a slide-in and jump kick combo then break out of the center. This was Arina's chance. She reared back then ran in, falling to her knees and sliding in just before the bridge and stood as the lyrics kicked in. She stood and motioned for Tatsuha to join her. He sauntered to her, grabbing a hold of her hips and they swayed to the beat. They body rolled together, creating a rhythmic wave, then broke apart, their hands out to their sides, signaling they were going to do their specialty, Mirror Dancing. Tatsuha moved forward, and Arina went back. Arina slid to the left, and Tatsuha went to his right. They continued it for a moment then broke the mirror when Arina jumped in his arms and howled. She was a sucker for attention, but she would never admit it to anyone. The group cheered and everyone else finished off the song.

"Okay, guys, let's work on why we're really here." Arina called to the group dancers. They all took their appropriate places, the girls standing in the back facing the mirrored wall, the boys behind them.

"We all remember how it goes up until the last few choruses, right?" Arina asked the group, and the all nodded. "Good, hit the music, and remember, Janet is always up front, no matter of the boys are up or not. She is the star, and she needs to make that clear."

The music came on and the Arina felt the beat pulse through her. The dance was simple, until you got to the last few choruses, because it got repetitive, and she could only come up with so much for the same thing.

They ran through everything they knew for a half-hour, making sure no one forgot what to do cleaning things up slightly. When Arina was satisfied, they took a short water break. She took the opportunity to talk to Marin and Tatsuha.

"Things are coming along well." She commented to the blonde, and she smiled.

"Yeah. I guess they're better off than I thought." Marin agreed. She took a sip from her water bottle, and leaned on the table on the side of the room. "So, how are you going to take care of the press?"

Arina smirked. "Touma's already taking care of it. He tells them we're an official couple, they write and report their findings in a one-time article or telecast, and they leave us to our privacy, also telling the general public we are to be left alone."

Marin raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's going to work? You know the media will stop at nothing to get a good story."

The brunette sighed. "I know, but I trust Touma to take care of it." She leaned on the wall in between Tatsuha and Marin, taking a sip from her own water bottle. They had been silent until the loud ringing of a cell phone went off.

Tatsuha reached in his pocket for the annoying object and looked at the caller I.D. He gave a small smile and turned to the girls. "I gotta take this. I'll be right back." he said and he ran down the door and down the hallway.

Marin and Arina exchanged glances.

"He looked like he perked up a bit when he realized who it was." Marin observed.

"Yeah, you're right." Arina confirmed. "I wonder what's going on with him today?"

"Beats me." the blonde confessed. "I can't keep up with Tatsuha's mood swings."

Arina pushed herself off the wall. "Whatever it is, he needs to get over it. We have a job to do."

Marin watched her sister head for the door Tatsuha had gone out only a minute ago. She shook her head and sighed. _'That's Arina for you. Always getting upset when feelings get in the way of work.' _

_III_

Arina didn't so much as mind that people got moody, just not on her time. She had a job to do, and her dance partner seemed to have a stick shoved somewhere unpleasant, making it hard for her to do her accomplish her task.

She found the black haired boy leaning against a wall by a set of windows around the corner chatting quietly on his cell phone. She listened briefly to see if maybe it was a sibling, whether it be Yuki or Mika. She didn't know Mika, only heard of her from Tatsuha, and anyone who knew Shuichi had had at least one run-in with the blonde author he was courting these days. As an a pair as they made, they were in love with each other, no denying that.

"Of course I do! ... No, don't do it right away, wait until I give the okay. ... Yes, I have one in mind. ... Excellent, tonight then."

Tatsuha hung his phone up hastily and turned the corner back to the dance hall, coming face to face with a pissy Arina. He gulped heavily. He knew this could ruin everything.

"I don't care who it was. I do care, however, that A) you're being moody on my time, and B) you're one of my best friends and you've decided to start keeping secrets." Arina told him whole-heartedly.

Tatsuha looked at her downcast. "I don't want our relationship to change now that you're with Mr. Seguchi."

Arina, despite her frustration, had to give him some credit. Tatsuha, though popular with many of the peoples in town, was somewhat shy, save for the incident with Shuichi, but they don't talk about that. He only had and wanted a few close friends, Arina being one of them. he had confided in her many things, and she was always there to pick him up when it was needed. In the long-run, Arina could see why he was up and down today.

"Nothing's going to change, Tatsuha. You're still going to be one of my best friends and my dance partner. Mr. Seguchi will not change every aspect of my life, only parts, and you're not part of that part . . . did that make any sense?" Arina asked after her quick explanation.

Tatsuha laughed. "Perfect." he told her.

Arina smiled. "Good, then come on." She wrapped him in her embrace, the boy no hesitating to return the gesture. That was before he was rudely violated as he was dragged down the hallway yelping in pain.

_III_

Marin heard the door open again and Arina came back dragging Tatsuha along by his ear.

"Okay, let's get together people!" Arina called everyone to the center of the room. They gathered around the younger choreographer, waiting to see what she had in store for them.

Arina released Tatsuha's ear so she could demonstrate the moves. "Okay, I've thought about the dilemma we had the other day, and I have come up with a solution. While Janet is doing the 'Oh's' the girls and guys will take turns, girls first, guys second. Alright girls, just after the part you're rocking your heads from side to side on the 'Nutty, nutty, nutty for me.' I want you to to spin on your right leg, and have you left leg out spinning you about, then switch your legs quickly and spin, and this time spin into your man," Arina spun over to Tatsuha, who was her dance partner, "and grind your hips against his. Your back will be to the audience at this point. Make sure you get out of the way quickly, because the guys are up right after that. Slide to your left, then step forward and to the right so that you're behind your partner. The guys will follow Tatsuha." She patted his back lovingly. "Just before their little dance ends, the girls are going to get a running start and slide between their guys' legs. Be snappy about standing up because we're going to be dancing as soon as the words come back in. At that point your going to grab your heads just like you do before the 'Oh's'. So you're going to go 'Nutty, Nutty, Nutty', then point to the audiance with both hands, 'My love for you', then start spinning again with your arms out and your legs alternating, 'I can't believe my dream's come true. Now guys, you're going to be with your girls during this thing, so be paying attention. You're going to face each other and mirror shimmy the girls go forward first, then back, so guys, you're the opposite. 'I've finally found somebody who's heart is true.' And the end is easy. All the girls have to do is jump into the arms of their man and wrap their legs around their waist. Guys, you're simply spinning around until the end of the chorus. Make sure that you stop sideways so the audience can see both you and your partner. You'll remain frozen during the last chorus. The only movement will be Janet and Diego, and all they'll be doing is hugging, loving, yada yada yada. Can we do that?"

The group nodded and Arina smmiled. "Good, from the top and we'll see how it goes from there." Everyone got into their places and the music started again.

**_Hmm, he-he  
Oh, hey  
Doesn't matter (It doesn't matter)  
Doesn't matter at all_**

Doesn't matter what your friends are telling you  
Doesn't matter what my family's saying too  
It just matters that I'm in love with you  
It only matters that you love me too

It doesn't matter if they won't accept you  
I'm accepting of you and the things you do  
Just as long as it's you  
Nobody but you, baby, baby

My love for you, unconditional love too  
Gotta get up, get up  
Get up, get up, get up and show you that it...

Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing  
Cause I'm in love with the inner being  
And it doesn't really matter what they believe  
What matters to me is you're in love with me

Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing  
Cause I'm in love with the inner being  
And it doesn't really matter what they believe  
What matters to me is you're nutty-nutty-nutty for me

(You're so kind)  
Just what I asked for, you're so loving and kind  
(And you're mine)  
And I can't believe you're mine

Doesn't matter if you're feeling insecure  
Doesn't matter if you're feeling so unsure  
Cause I'll take away the doubt within your heart  
And show that my love will never hurt or harm

Doesn't matter what the pain we go through  
Doesn't matter if the money's gone too  
Just as long as I'm with you  
Nobody but you, baby, baby

You're love for me, unconditional I see  
Gotta get up, get up  
Get up, get up, get up and show you that it...

Doesn't matter what they say  
Cause you know I'm gonna love you anyway  
Doesn't matter what they do  
Cause my love will always be with you

My love for you unconditional love too  
Gotta get up, get up  
Get up, get up, get up and show you that  
My love is true, and it's just for you, uh

Nutty-nutty-nutty my love for you  
I can't believe my dreams come true  
I've finally found somebody whose heart is true  
And best of all you love me to  
And nutty-nutty-nutty my love for you  
I can't believe my dreams come true  
I've finally found somebody whose heart is true  
And best of all you're nutty-nutty-nutty for me

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa  
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa  
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa  
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa

Nutty-nutty-nutty my love for you  
I can't believe my dreams come true  
(He-he)  
I've finally found somebody whose heart is true  
And best of all you're nutty-nutty-nutty for me  
Nutty-nutty-nutty my love for you  
(I'm always doing that!)  
I can't believe my dreams come true  
I've finally found somebody whose heart is true  
And best of all you're nutty-nutty-nutty for me

"Everyone, that was great! I don't think we need to run through it again until next time, so just keep practicing it enough times so that it's always fresh in your mind and I'll see you all Friday. " Arina told the group. The people cheered and began gathering their belongings and chatting amongst themselves.

Even with the talking, everyone heard the clapping coming from the doorway. The room fell silent and Tatsuha, who was still holding Arina to him, put her on her feet.

"Good afternoon, Mr. President." the room chorused, including, Marin and Arina.

"Good afternoon, everyone." Touma greeted. "The dance looks terrific." he complemented, sparing a quick glance at Arina, who blushed lightly. "I think your hard work deserves a half-hour extra on your lunch break."

Everyone cheered and grabbed their things, being sure to thank the blonde president on their way out the door. Once everyone was gone and out of site, Arina dashed across the room and into the welcoming arms of Touma.

"Well hello to you too." he said cheerfully as he wrapped his arms around her.

"What are you doing here?" Marin asked as she leaned on the wall next to her brother.

"I just thought I'd take my girlfriend out to lunch." he replied to the smaller blonde. He then turned to look at the brunette in his arms. "Would you like that?" Arina nodded. "Then go get changed." Arina let her arms fall to her sides and began her trek to the changing room where she had discarded her clothes when Touma grabbed her hand and pulled her back into him.

"Could you have left a little less to the imagination?" he whispered coyly so only she could hear as he played with the stretchy fabric on her back.

Arina smirked and whispered back in his ear. "Maybe, but that's for later." she teased, and Touma smirked.

"I'll look forward to it!" he called after her as she ran to change and Arina called back. "Okay!"

Marin tapped Tatsuha, who was leaning against the opposite wall, with her foot. "What's wrong with you now? You were all smiles fifteen minutes ago." Tatsuha only hung his head lower as he pushed himself off the wall and stalked down the hallway.

Marin watched him go. "He's been weird today." she commented to Touma.

Touma shrugged. "I know some rocks better than him."

"That's kinda cold, bro." Marin said. "Anyway, you two have fun at lunch. I'm gonna see if I can catch up with Shu and Hiro." The younger Seguchi hugged the older and took off in the same direction as Tatsuha.

"Okay, I'll see you soon." Touma said to her back. He leaned against the door frame and glanced at his watch. He began to thank himself for giving them the extra half-hour lunch break. He wanted to spend as much time with Arina as he could. Distant footsteps signaled she was done changing, then they grew louder as she came nearer.

"Are you ready, Melody?" he asked his lover when she was standing next to him.

"Sure am." She said sweetly as she slid her coat on over her arms. "So where's lunch?" Arina looked around thoroughly before taking his hand in hers.

They walked together down the hall to the elevators, a completely blissful atmosphere surrounding the couple. "I was thinking about that little cafe on the main strip you like so much." Touma said as he pressed the elevator button down to the lobby.

Arina smiled and blushed. No one treated her so nicely, and a date already? Well, she _did _go one a date with Touma once, but she had to _beg _him. That was the last time she would ever agree to double date with Marin when she herself couldn't find a date. The memory made her smile faintly. It had been a beautiful evening dinner at one of the finer restaurants in town. The evening, albeit somewhat uncomfortable for Marin's date, a man named Demyx, who was a studio guitarist, because big brother watched his every move, and it was his boss, and the fear of Touma figuring out that she really did want to go on a date with him, was pleasurable. There was a fair amount of laughter, and Arina thoroughly enjoyed watching Marin squirm under her brother's constant gaze. Arina came back to earth after a short while though to the calling of her nickname.

"Melody?" Touma had a hand on her shoulder and a look of mock concern on his face. "Are you okay? Your face is all red."

The brunette in question smacked his shoulder with her bagged hand and Touma laughed.

"I used to think you were different, but you're just like every other guy. Always have to be an ass." Arina commented playfully insulting him.

"I am not the typical guy. I have to be some sort of crazy to be head-over-heels for you." Touma tossed back at her with an equally playful tone.

Arina paused in disbelief, still feigning angry. "You're lucky we have the same sense of humor when it comes to things like this or I would have taken major offense to that."

Touma mocked her expression. "And what about your comment? That was a bit below the belt as well."

The brunette 'hmphed' and turned on her blonde lover. "Truce?" She held her hand out to him. He took it and shook it once. "Truce."

The elevator 'dinged' and the pair stepped out cautiously, making sure they were indeed alone. When they saw the coast was clear they walked down the hallway, still hand-in-hand. Arina felt vaguely like a 007 agent on a secret mission, Operation: Sneak Around With Boyfriend Until Press Coverage Time.

"Did you take care of the media?" She asked as Touma held the glass doors open for her yet again.

The president let go of her hand for a moment as he locked the doors. "Yes. They've all been informed. We'll be the highlight of the evening news, tomorrow morning's newspaper, and every magazine and tabloid's next issue."

"Did you threaten their lives?" The singer asked jokingly.

"No, just their jobs." Touma responded matter-of-factly.

"Aw, sweetie, you're so nice."

Touma gave a short laugh as he opened the car door for her. "Yes, I know." The door was shut when Arina was in properly and Touma got in quickly on the other side. He turned the car on, and Arina went instantly for the radio. The speakers blared Ashley Parker Angel, another American artist on this station, and Arina sang along as Touma drove down the main road, contently listening.

_**Red lights flashing, I keep driving through  
**__**thirty-first of December.  
**__**Photographs I never took of you,  
**__**I start to remember.  
**__**Of broken moments that I might have thrown away,  
**__**I don't care, I'll be okay.**_

_**I've got no way of knowing exactly where I'm going but I feel so alive.  
**__**Everything is changing, life is rearranging but I feel so alive, so alive.  
**__**  
I've been recalling, it's so hard to forget,  
**__**but can you forgive me?  
**__**No I'll never, be what you expect, I'm not sorry.  
**__**For every moment that I'm making a mistake,  
**__**I'm bent, but I won't break.**_

_**I've got no way of knowing exactly where I'm going but I feel so alive.  
**__**Everything is changing, life is rearranging but I feel so alive.  
**__**Coz I've been so far, and I'm half-way there,  
**__**I'll just jump the edge and I won't be scared.  
**__**Everything is changing, life is rearranging but I feel so alive, so alive.**_

_**How would it be, how would it be if you, could finally, accept that this is me?  
**__**  
Got no way of knowing exactly where I'm going but I feel so alive.  
**__**Everything is changing, life is rearranging but I feel so alive.  
**__**Coz I've been so far, and I'm half-way there,  
**__**I'll just jump the edge and I won't be scared.  
**__**Everything is changing, life is rearranging but I feel so alive, so alive.**_

The song seemed to fit Arina's mood perfectly. She felt like she was dancing on cotton candy clouds, and it was raining glittered raindrops that never seemed to get her wet. She had no idea where her feet would take her along this dreamy path, but she didn't care. For once in her life, she felt okay, and she was okay feeling like that.

Before long, because the drive was short, Touma had pulled to side of the road and parallel parked along the sidewalk in front of the Cafe Fresco. He stepped out of the car carefully, making certain not to get hit in traffic. Once he made it to the other side, he opened the door for Arina and took her by the hand, leading her into the small diner.

"Good afternoon!" and attractive red head greeted them at the door. "We're a bit slow today, so feel free to sit wherever you'd like." Arina and Touma took a second to look around and found an aisle of booths directly in front of them that looked slightly secluded. Arina wasn't really one for being left out of the loop, but it wasn't like that was a huge party taking place, so she agreed when Touma nodded in that direction.

Arina pointed to the booth they had chosen and the girl, named Kairi, showed them to their desired location. They took seats opposite each other as Kairi handed them menus. "What can I get you two to drink?" she was very friendly, Arina decided. She liked her.

"Iced tea, sweetened, and can I get extra lemon?" Arina asked Kairi.

The girl nodded. "Yes ma'am. And you, sir?" she tuned to Touma, who looked slightly indecisive.

"I think I'll have iced tea as well, nothing special."

Kairi jotted all of this into her little black pad and smiled. "Okay, I'll be right back. Specials today are potato soup with grilled chicken in it and fresh garden salad." she said before turning the corner into the kitchen.

Arina looked at Touma, who was already looking at her. She blushed slightly under his gaze and smiled before looking away.

"Why do you blush when I look at you?" He asked her as he laid his hand on the table palm up and waited for her to take it. She did, and her gaze fell back on him.

In the past when he asked her this question, she refused to admit she was blushing. It was hot out, or the cold make her cheeks pink, even if it was a beautiful day, but it was never a blush. In truth, she felt like his simple stare completed her, like his eyes were searing into her soul, finding the emptiness that was there and filling it. Her answer was more simple though.

"Because when you look at me, I feel complete." she told him honestly.

"You think I complete you?" Touma asked her seriously.

Arina nodded. Touma was her life, as cliché as it sounded. Though she had told Tatsuha that Touma wasn't every aspect of her life, he really was. He had found a way to weave his way into every little detail about her. He was her 'older brother', her best friend above everyone else, her boss, co-worker, teacher, and now lover. Without him, Arina knew she wouldn't be where she was now. But it wasn't just that, it was how he made her feel. He knew exactly how to react to whatever she was feeling without her ever having to say anything. He always supported and pushed her towards her dreams. He was never mean to her, though he gave her constructive criticism. He protected and held her when she was broken and put her back together.

"Yeah, you complete me, Touma." she said softly, but confidently.

Touma held her hand tighter and reached across the table with the other, brushing his fingers along the skin of her cheek. "Arina." he was comforting and loving, just the sound of his voice saying her name made Arina's body relax from the tense state it had taken all of a sudden.

"I'm," he paused, looking for an appropriate word, "flattered, that you feel that way about me." Arina waited for him to continue, but he didn't, giving her the completely wrong impression.

"But, you, don't feel the same?" There was an edge of fear in her voice and a frown on her face, Touma noted, and he realized what he had implied. He smiled at her lightly and poked her nose, causing her to wrinkle it cutely.

"Quite the contrary, I _know_ you complete me. I'd die if I were without you in my life." He cupped her chin. "You are my everything, Arina. You always have been."

Arina had to blink back the tears in her eyes, though she was beaming at him brightly.

"You're crying again." Touma observed as he wiped a tear away with his thumb.

"You do that to me sometimes, for good or bad." she replied.

Touma saw Kairi come around the corner with their drinks and he pulled his arms away from Arina. When she looked at him in question he said or did nothing, only waited.

"Here are your drinks." The waitress said cheerfully. "Are you ready to order?" She pulled her black book from her apron quickly and professionally.

"Yes, I'll have the salad special with red vinaigrette dressing." Touma told her. Arina looked at him amused.

"Okay, and you miss?"

Arina smiled at Kairi. "I'll have the soup special, thank you."

Kairi jotted the orders down then grinned at the couple. "Great, it'll be ready shortly."

"Thank you," the pair said in unison.

The young waitress hopped back into the kitchen where she stayed for a time.

Arina took a sip of her iced tea, enjoying the refreshing tingle it sent down her body. As she took another sip, Touma asked her the most absurd and somewhat inappropriate question.

"Do you really think of me when you touch yourself?"

Arina slapped a hand over her mouth as she didn't want to shower the diner and Touma with the contents in her mouth. She choked on the iced tea before managing to finally swallow it, all the while Touma watching her unwavering. When she was able to speak again with confidence, she brought her voice to an enraged whisper.

"Why would you ask me that, and in a place like this!"

Touma blinked, his eyes never actually leaving Arina's face. "Aren't you the one that brought it up this morning."

Arina replayed the events of the morning in a movie-like manner. The scene about the love-bite played through her mind, followed by the mild foreplay in the kitchen, then the shower-

She found where he was talking about and blushed violently as she nodded, answering his question discreetly.

Touma couldn't help but laugh at the look of mortification on her face. This, however, earned him a slap to the head hard enough to make him say 'ow' and rub the spot soothingly.

"If it makes you feel any better, I've done it over you for years." His attempt to console her only seemed to tick her off further.

"Says the man who skittish about holding hands in public, but will openly talk about our sex life." she tossed angrily.

Touma winced slightly at her harsh tone. "Touché. I will be sure to not talk about our sex life so openly and not care about the general public knowing we're an item."

Arina accepted the detailed apology and took his hand in hers again. "Speaking of this morning, you wanted to continue our conversation?" Arina hoped it wouldn't be about how 'he had hurt her.' That was done, and things now were worth of ounce of pain.

"Ah, yes, I did." He leaned forward slightly, folding both hands into each other and resting his chin upon them lightly, blinking slowly. "I know you don't like thinking about it, much less talking about it, but when you were working from Xemnas," he paused as she openly winced at the topic and gave her a reassuring smile, "I was mad. I battled endlessly with my feelings for you, and led you to believe that I didn't feel anything for you at all. I was cold, and I'm sorry."

Arina's eyes went wide with shock. They had never really talked about the incident. Touma had taken care of her, but an apology had never come up, and she didn't think it deserved one either. He had come for her when she needed him the most, he held her and meant it when no one else had in so long. She shook her head. "No, Touma, don't be sorry."

Now Touma shook his head. "Marin told me why you did it, even though you asked her not to. She thought she had the right to re-establish what I already knew when I got the call from Axel that night, that it was my fault you got hurt."

Arina sighed sadly. He was right. She had become part of Xemnas's entourage because of something she had overheard him say to Fujisaki, but she still didn't blame him for her actions during that time. She was stupid, and it was something she would rather not be thinking about.

"I shouldn't have brought it up, I know, but you needed to know that I acknowledge that it is my fault." Touma said, having seen the uncomfortable look on his lover's features.

"I never once blamed you Touma, not after it happened anyway." Arina told him. "But you're right, I don't want to talk about it." She changed the subject. "So how's Bad Luck doing these days? You got the reports on your desk this morning did you not?"

Touma smiled in appreciation, glad she was strong enough to change the discussion to something she loved talking about. "Things are going well for your band. Your latest single has entered the charts at number three behind your brother's imported single, and another bad from a different company. Things are really looking promising, and you're still number one at NG."

"That's great! Oh! And we recorded the song I wrote this morning." Arina informed him.

Touma smiled. "I'm sure it will be another hit." He didn't tell her that it would be the last song she'd be singing with Bad Luck.

_III_

Reviews are like chocolate.


End file.
